Applicator for particulate material



G. F. RooNEY, JR l 2,467,097

APPLICATOR FOR PARTICULATE MATERIAL April 12, 1949.

Filed April s, 194e 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Jf. W, m E J W nw BY 2% Y fys.

G. F. ROONEY, JR

APPLICATOR FOR PARTICULATE MATERIAL April l2,- 1949.

2 sheets-sheet? Filed April 3, 1946 Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATE PTENT GFFICE APPLICATOR FOR PARTICULA'FBE MATERIAL George F. Rooney, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 3, 1946, Serial No. 659,395

10 Claims. l

The present invention relates to an applicator, such as may be used for automatically directing a dust, powder, or granulated material onto an article or surface to be coated.

An object of the invention is to provide an algiplicator which is efficient, reliable, and de pendable in its uniformity of operation under all ordinary conditions of temperature and humidity.

Another object of the invention is to provide an applicator which will definitely eifect a substantial saving in coating costs, and in maintenance and servicing expenses.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the character stated, which is simple of construction and assembly, with parts so designed and arranged as to insure continuous trouble-free operation with a minimum of noise and destructive vibration.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the kind referred to, with improved means for the control and adjustment of the feed for powder, dust, or granules to be applied uniformly and selectively to a surface requiring coating.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive applicator which is capable of being .A expeditiously shifted from one location to another Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental perspective View of a needle valve mount constituting a detail of thefinvention.

As a sifter or applicator of powder, dust, flour or granular material, the device of the present invention is capable of use in environments and for purposes almost limitless in number, as will be evident. It might be employed, for example, in the manufacture of abrasive sheets, plates, or bars; in the manufacture of baked goods; in the coating of ceramics or glazed articles; in the application of absorptive powders for oset elimination in printing, and in countless other ways. Since it is impossible fto anticipate, and impractical to show, within the limits of the following explanation, the many uses to which the device of the invention is applicable, a single application will be referred to herein by Way of example with the understanding that the invention is not to be limited by the choice of the example cited. The selected example has to do with use of the applicator or sifter as an offset eliminator in the art of printing.

Common practice in offset elimination heretofore has consisted of applying a spray of liquid to the moving web or sheet of the printing press or other machine. This character of treatment for offset elimination is known to be highly objectionable for a number of reasons, For example, the spray contaminated the atmosphere of the printing establishment to such an extent as to impair the health of workers, and in the effort to avoid this objection, most printing establishments have resorted to the installation of expensive exhaust systems. The exhaust systems, in turn, presented difficulties of maintaining proper conditions of temperature and humidity in the press room, and it was usual to sacrifice the health of the workers in order to maintain proper conditions favorable to operation of the printing presses. invariably found its way to the bearings and other sensitive parts of the machinery, with the result that frequent servicing and replacement of parts were necessary. The spray material also was known to impair the function and reduce the life of printing rollers in the printing machine.

All of the foregoing objections have been eliminated by means of the present invention, and in addition, a number of meritorious advantages have been attained by its adoption.

Referring to the drawings, 'l indicates that portion of a printing press frame which receives the stack of printed sheets 8. As will be understood, the printed sheets or the printed web while in motion, are to be treated for offset elimination, so that in the type of machine illustrated by way of example, the offset eliminator is located ahead of the stack 8 and at a position such that the treatment will be applied to the sheets as they advance toward the stack. In some other types of printing presses, the sheet material instead of being stacked as indicated in the drawing, will simply be wound upon a roll, and in that event the offset eliminating treatment will be applied before winding of the sheet or web to roll condition, The device of the invention is adapted for use in connection with either of the press structures mentioned.

The offset eliminator of the invention is adapted to straddle the printing machine, and for that purpose it is mounted upon a pair of frame kmembers or standards 9 which extend Moreover, the spray material* above the web or sheet surface to be treated. Between the standards is supported a substantially horizontal beam IG, which as illustrated cy 2, may be oi shallow channel iron construction, the ends of the beam being secured to the stand ards at l2.

Depending from opposite sides of the horizontal beam l@ are pairs of movable hanger elements I3 and lil, the pairs of hanger elements i3 beingr adapted Lto swinginglysupportfa sieve fre-me iii? in substantial parallelism with the horizontal beam Il). The sieve frame may comprise a pair of open frame members I6 and Il of angle iron construction, bolted together :as at -lii .with a ne mesh screen I9 interposed therebetween. One of the frame members such-as fihi, may he furnished with pairs of upright perforated Alugs 2B adapted to receive a horizontal pin or shaft 2l, to the ends of which shaft are 'pivotally mounted the lower ends 22 of the hanger eie- ,ments t3. The upper ends-ofthese-hanger elements likewise may be :suppcrrted pivotally by `meansofextending studs 23 :carried lei/.then :Zonta-'l vbea-rn "le, The studs .may Ybe sepa; te elements, or if desired, they ,may the fsi nlyjthe .oppositeendsof a shaft or fpin passingthrongh ljper'forations fin .the side walls `of ,the :bea-in. .like .ima-nner, the extending `ends 215 Iof shaft iii ,-might `be in the form of kstuds projecting out .wardly -f-romfthe lugs 20 ,of the sieve :'frrame.

The same studs .23 may qbe utilized gior `swing "ingly suspending the 'hanger :elements life-ela l.the lower ends '26 :of which-are `pivotal-ly supported :by means 4.Of extending stud vfrnembers i2?! roi ia .hopper support Vframe "Ehe hopper 'support .frame may reconstructed of. angle irons orang .other suitable :stri-p `material .formed I. as ,an ci gated open frame v:having depending apertnred Ylugs-M :in lwhich ithezstuds 2F! areisupported. if -desired, studs-251 may constitute thegffree ends ci a vshaft ior :rod it@ spanning the :hopper :support :frame as shown. :B/means tof multiple pairs 'of `hanger elements lift, the .'hopperisupp'ort iframe is suspended for ilongitudinal reciprocating :movement above the lsieve frame. The supper .rends :of :hanger .elements il fl .may 'be 'pnlotediat di upon 'the members 213. 'The characters 32 indicate `spaciers for the :hanger elements.

From the foregoing, fit will be .understood 'that the :sieve ,frame .and vthe `hopper support aine fare independently suspended from'the Ihor :beam lIt! Vin :spaced relationship, l'so that said frames may `be `longitudinally reciprocated or wibratsd yabove the :sheet .material to Joe atreated for'oiset elimination Thehanger elementsial- `though :herein illustrated as `igid r-sectionsoi .bar Yor irodrstockimay just .as well he in the 'formfof exible :leaf .springs vhaving their upper fends securely 'xedfor Yclamped to the horizontal `beam -.'lxwhilethe;lower ends thereof aresimilarlyffixed -toJtheihoppersupporzt :frame and .thesieve frame, 'with `obviously similar results.

The rhopper :support iframe w23 lis adapte-d to :aclcommodate :an .elongated hopper or receptacle .134 lof elongated trough shape, Athe upper .endet the hopper being open as :indicated at By :means of a series .of equally spaced-dividing walls '63, the .hopper or .receptacle .is to be :compartfrnented, sothat each compartment deTned-by the dividing Walls may receive and 'hold a quantity of ink absorbing material inthe .iormfof a powder yfor dust. The purpose of the dividing yWalls in .fthe hopper, is 'to .preclude piling up of .absorbent material at :oposite ends of the vhopper .as Athe hopper frame 'is subjected fito riapd donnimeans of connecting rods and respect... transmit vibratory or reoiprocatory movem to the framest and l5, respectively. The cha; ter il indicates either a belt or a chain for t -mitting .motion from the motor shaft to eccentric shaft 3S. Shaft may supp suitable bearings mounted upon ei' a pair or" depending E braced ,beam as at-lit.

As above stated, the motion to .be ,the frames lo and .253 may be 'inl directly or indirectly by velectric means. B di-rect-n'1ethod, the eccentrics are to .he replaced `by electromagnetic means, orfexample s noids -or electromagnets operative directly upon Jhe frames or upon suitable armatures attached thereto. In either cas-e, however, the ,jira-mes are to be reciprocated .in synohronisrn, ,but Ian' .ys kin opposite directions to neutralize the lmove- .ments ofthe `frames and thereby avoidobjection- `able `bodily vibration-of the apparatus. Thus, as

illustrated by Fig. l, the heels of the .are ldisposed -at itil to one another to: ing the desired synchronous movements :of 'frames :|75 .and

In the example illust-rated, the v ends foi :the .connecting rods 33 and ai -vvhicl'i frames 28 and 1&5, respectively, be ,i l or rockingly mounted upon the studsf-or u2"! and125, respectively.

'AS is most clearly illustrated by Fig. 2, the -varvious compartments of the hopper 'are eachfprovided with a solid bottom wall "d -ga central opening in which fit i externally threaded neck it of aneedle valvebushingfhaving an enlarged head il' whichbearsilrmly upon .the bottom wall :bis about the aperture `15. This bushing may be attached to a longitudinally eX- t-.ending elongated .attachment bar i518 having opposite ends thereof securelyxed to the ends of .the :hopper .support iframe The attachment may be provided by means of ythe threads indicated at 36, which engage a threaded bore extending vertically through the bar 48. The construction described serves to maintain the receptacle 3ft in connected relationship 'with 'the hopper -i vaine '23.

As will be noted by reference to Fig. l, each individual compartment of the hopper rnc-.y a oi needle valve bushings .of the character 'justdescribedso that thehopper along its entire length may be securely mounted :upon the attachment bar fit. In some instances, zit may be desirable to increase or decrease the lnumber of needle valve bushings associated with each compartment of the hopper, vbut for purposes of illustration, Ythe valve bushings are shown duplicated in each compartment.

The various valve bushings disclosed are identical in character Awherefore -.a description of one Will-asuce for .the others also. Referring fto Fig. 2, it will be observed that the bushing has a central needle receptive bore 49 flanked by upper and lower counterbores 5i! and 5l, respectively. These counterbores preferably are aligned, and the bases thereof substantially meet at the bore 49, so that the bore is located well within the body of the bushing. The bushings may be applied and removed by simply unscrewing them from the threaded bore of bar d8 as indicated at 46.

Operatively associated with each needle valve bushing is a depending pin or needle valve 52, the lower end 53 of which is tapered to substantially a point and projected loosely through the bore 49 of the valve bushin-g. The point of the needle is arranged to dangle loosely within the bushing bore the hopper is reciprocated, so that a ow of powdered material within the hopper compartment will be kept continuously in motion. As the powdered material drops through the valve bushing aperture onto the rapidly vibrating screen I9, it is thoroughly broken up and scattered with a high degree of uniformity onto the web or sheet that is moving beneath the sieve frame. With a multiplicity of valves operating in the manner just described, and as illustrated by Fig. 1, an exceedingly uniform and even sifting of the absorbent powder is deposited through the screen onto the web or sheet to be treated for offset elimination.

Means are provided for pivotally suspending and adjusting the valve needles relative to their respective valve bushings, both independently and collectively. Said means comprises a needle support bar 54, and means in the form of a series of vertically adjustable hanger bolts 55 normally fixed to the bar, and to the horizontal beam l0, so as to suspend the needle support bar substantially horizontally beneath the beam and over the hopper. By means of the adjusting nuts 55 at the upper ends of the hanger bolts, the needle support bar may be bodily adjusted as to elevation for establishing the position of all the Valve needles generally relative to their cooperative valve bushings.

The individual adjustable mounts for the needles may be constructed substantially as depicted by Fig. 2, wherein 5l indicates a threaded bolt or rod freely slidable through an aperture 58 of bar 54, said bolt or rod being preferably surrounded by a compression spring 59 serving constantly to depress the rod or bolt downwardly to a limit determined by the thumb nut 6B, which is threaded onto the upper end of the rod or bolt above the bar 54. The upper end of spring 59 may abut the underface of the bar, while the lower end thereof seats upon an abutment 6l, which conveniently may be the head of the bolt 5l. To lock the adjustment afforded by the thumb nut, the assembly may be provided with any suitable retainer, for example, a steel ball 62 seated within a depression on the upper face of bar 5s and adapted to engage any one of a seriesV of depressions or notches in the lower face lof the thumb nut.

indicated at 66 upon Fig. 4. The head 6| may be milled or sawed as at 61 to accommodate the eye of the valve needle. The pivot member 65 may be in the form of a cotter pin, as shown.

To preclude rotation of the vertically adjustable bolt or rod 51 as the thumb screw is turned, or as the machine is operated, a rigid depending guide pin 6B may be fixed at 69 to the needle support bar and projected through the eye 'IIJ of the cotter pin. The guide pin slides freely through the eye 'Hl as the bolt or rod 51 is elevated and lowered by means of the thumb nut. It will be understood, of course, that the details of construction of the needle regulator may be Varied considerably within the skill of the mechanic, to provide the desired individual adjustments for the needles.

The operation of the device is as follows. The several compartments of the hopper are to be supplied with a quantity of absorbent material in powdered form, the needles having been previously adjusted to an approximately correct elevation within the needle Valve bushings 46, by means of the adjusting nuts 56. Individual adjustments may then be made upon the needles separately at the thumb nuts 60, so that all the needles will effect the release of approximately equal quantities of the absorbent powder.

Upon then energizing the motor 35, the eccentrics 3l and 38 will be rotated with the driven shaft 35, to rapidly reciprocate the hopper 34 and the screen l5 synchronously, but in opposite directions. As these parts reciprocate, or vibrate, the multiplicity of needles 52 are laterally swung with the hopper to and fro, the pointed ends of the needles being thereby jiggled within the bushing bores i9 with a slight up and down movement. This causes agitation of the powdered material within the upper counterbores 55, accompanied by a driving of the powdered material through the bushing and onto the vibrating screen i9 carried by frame l5. The amount of material released by the needle valves will be dependent upon the extent to which the needles are lowered into the bushings. To regulate the fiow of powdered material through the various needle valves', it is necessary only to effect the required adjustment at the thumb nuts 60.

In the event that the web or sheet of printed material requires oiset elimination treatment at certain areas only of its Width, the operator may selectively lower those needle valves which are above the area to remain untreated, thereby to stop the flow of powder through those valves in much the same manner as he would adjust an ink fountain blade. By this adjustment, a great saving of powder may be achieved with a consequent reduction in printing costs. Likewise, in the treatment of printed webs or sheets having areas which are lightly inked, and others which are heavily inked, the needle valves may readily be adjusted selectively to apply the proper amount of powder to the different areas without overtreating one area and undertreating the other area, in the effort to adequately overcome offsetting.

Under close observation, it is found that the hopper vibrations keep the particles of powdered material in a state of suspension within the several hopper compartments, so that a floating or dancing effect of the particles is maintained, aiding materially the uniformity and reliability of feed through the dry valves constituted by the needles and bushings. f

As the operation of the apparatus continues,

7 the Aseveral compartments Y of the vibrating hoppermay require `refilling with powderedabsorbent material. The replenishment of the compartments :may be accomplished in any suitablermanner, either vby automatic means, or manually with theuse of a scoop or other container. The function of the vibratory screen is to break up and uniformly distribute the powder deposited thereon ;by the valves.

lAs `was previously explained, the apparatus is smooth and quiet in operation, due largely to the factthatthe hopper frame and the sieve frame aresynchronized to reciprocate at the same rate, but in opposite directions, thereby avoiding bodily vibration of the beam l0 and the standards which support it.

Under certain conditions of operation, the effectiveness of the apparatus may be `enhanced by slightly modifying the vibratory movements of the sieve frame. This may be accomplished by means of a hammer held in yielding contact with one end of the reciprocating sieve frame. A representative form of hammer is illustrated by Figs. l and f2, `wherein 'i3 indicates a bar or strip of metal swingingly depending from any stationary part of the apparatus, as at hinge 14, the part 1.3 having a lower end 'l2 constituting a striker in contact with frame l 5. A weight 'll is mounted upon the hammer member 13 for adjustment along the length of the latter, this adjustment serving to regulate the value of the hammer blow and to synchronize its movements with the vibratory movements of the sieve frame. Weight 'ii may comprise two metallic plates 'iB-i8 clamped to opposite faces of hinged member 'i3 in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts or other fasteners 79.

The lower end 'l2 of the hammer is to be held yieldingly in Contact with the adjacent end. of the sieve frame, for maintaining coordination of movements of said frame and the hammer. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner, as by means of a length of coil spring 'l5 spanning the end corners of the frame and passing around the hamimer end i2, as shown in Fig. l. The opposite ends of the spring may be anchored to the frame at the locations 80 and 8i, rising the bolts lli-I8 as anchorages.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that rapid reciprocations of `the sieve frame will be accompanied by a succession of hammer blows coordinated with the frame movements, to impart thereto abrupt impulses which serve to eiectively move the powdered material through the screen of the sieve frame at a uniform rate. The adjustability of weight Tl enables the operator to regulate and synchronize the hacmmer movements with those of the sieve frame, to ensure efliciency of operation.

At the hinge end of member 13, the hinge leaf 82 may be applied in any suitable manner to said member, whereas leaf 83 may be adjustably secured to the needle support bar 5d by means of the nut S4 of the suspension bolt 55. An elongated slot 85 in leaf 83 permits bodily movement of the hinge lengthwise of the needle support bar 54, for purposes of regulation and detachment of the hammer. Retainers for precluding rotation of leaf 83 from axial alignment with bar 54, .fmay be in the form of cotter pins or other abutment means 86 passing through holes in the leaf adjacent to the edges of the bar.

In the light of the foregoing description, it Will be at once appreciated that all of the previously noted objectives are attainable with the use of ii i) simpl-e and effective means which require but little servicing and a minimum'of maintenance expense. The apparatus .easily may be moved bodily for use upon d-iiferent machines at various locations, and as previously pointed out herein, the apparatus is applicable to many different types of machines other than printing presses, for the performance of various types of services involving coating, dusting, and powdering operations.

it to be 'understood that various modications changes in the structural details of the demay be made, within the scope of the app; nded claims Without departing from the spirit of tre invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An applicator comprising in combination, a vibratory sieve, a superposed vibratory sectional hopper for dry coating material including a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and confining side walls, means for vibrating the sieve and the hopper, means including valve needles within the perforations of the hopper bottom for regulating the flow of coating material therethrough and `onto the Sieve beneath, a stationary overhead support for the valve needles, and individual means pivoting the needles `for rocking movement relative to said support.

2. An applicator comprising in combination, a vibratory sieve, a superpose vibratory sectional hopper for dry coating material including a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and conining side walls, means for vibrating the sieve and the hopper, means including valve needles within the perforations of the hopper bottom for regulating the flow of coating material therethrough and onto the sieve beneath, a normally stationary overhead support for the valve needles, means pivoting the needles for rocking movement relative to said support, and individually adjustable means for varying the extent of entry of each of the valve needles into the corresponding perforation of the hopper bottom.

3. An applicator comprising in combination, a vibratory sieve, a superposed vibratory sectional hopper for dry coating material including a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and confining side walls, means for vibrating the sieve and the hopper, means including valve needles Within the perforations of the hopper bottom for regulating the flow of coating material therethrough and onto the sieve beneath, a normally stationary overhead support for the valve needles, means pivoting the needles for rocking movement relative to said support, individually adjustable means for varying the extent of entry of each of the valve needles into the corresponding perforation of the hopper bottom, and means for adjusting the elevation of the normally stationary overhead support relative to the hopper bottom, for collectively varying the extent of entry of the needles into the hopper perforations.

4. An applicator comprising in combination, a vibratory sieve, a superposed vibratory sectional hopper for dry coating material including a series of compartments each having a perforated bottorn and conning side Walls, means for vibrating the sieve and the hopper, means including valve needles within the perforations of the hopper bottom for regulating the flow of coating material therethrough and onto the sieve beneath, a normally stationary overhead support for the valve needles, means pivoting the needles for rocking movement relative to said support,

individually adjustable means for varying the extent of entry of each of the valve needles into the corresponding perforation of the hopper bottom, means for adjusting the elevation of the normally stationary overhead support relative to the hopper bottom, for collectively varying the extent of entry of the needles into the hopper perforations, and means associated with the vibratory sieve for modifying the movements of the latter to enhance the sifting function.

5. Offset elimination apparatus comprising in combination, an elevated substantially horizontal normally stationary beam to span a printing machine, a vibratory screen suspended substantially horizontally beneath the beam, a vibratory hopper suspended from the beam above the screen, and comprising a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and upright walls for confining a quantity of powdered material, a series of upright valve needles equal in number to the number of perforations in the hopper bottom, said needles each having an upper end and a tapered lower end, the lower ends of the needles being loosely received in the hopper perforations, and means attached to the beam for pivotally suspending the needles from their upper ends so that the needles move in correspondency with the hopper vibrations.

6. Offset elimination apparatus comprising in combination, an elevated substantially horizontal normally stationary beam to span a printing machine, a vibratory screen suspended substantially horizontally beneath the beam, a vibratory hopper suspended from the beam above the screen, and comprising a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and upright walls for confining a quantity of powdered material, a series of upright valve needles equal in number to the number of perforations in the hopper bottorn, said needles each having an upper end and a tapered lower end, the lower ends of the needles being loosely received in the hopper perforations, means attached to the beam for pivotally suspending the needles from their upper ends so that the needles move in correspondency with the hopper vibrations, and means associated with each needle for regulating the extent to which the needles enter the perforations in the hopper bottoms.

'7. Onset elimination apparatus comprising in combination, an elevated substantially horizontal normaily stationary beam to span a printing machine, a vibratory screen suspended substantially horizontally beneath the beam, a vibratory hopper suspended from the beam above the screen, and comprising a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and upright Walls for confining a quantity of powdered material, a series of upright valve needles equal in number to the number of perforations in the hopper bottom, said needles each having an upper end and a tapered lower end, the lower ends of the needles being loosely received in the hopper perforations, means attached to the beam for pivotally suspending the needles from their upper ends so that the needles move in correspondency with the hopper vibrations, and means for vibrating the suspended screen and the hopper in the general direction of extension of the beam,

and at a common rate but in opposite directions.

8. Offset elimination apparatus comprising in combination, an elevated substantially horizontal normally stationary beam to span a printing machine, a vibratory screen suspended substantially horizontally beneath the beam, a vibratory hopper suspended from the beam above the screen, and comprising a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and upright walls for confining a quantity of powdered material, a series of upright valve needles egual in number to the number of perforations in the hopper bottom, said needles each having an upper end and a tapered lower end, the lower ends of the needles being loosely received in the hopper perforations, means attached to the beam for pivotally suspending the needles from their upper ends so that the needles move in correspondency with the hopper vibrations, means for vibrating the suspended screen and the hopper in the general direction of extension of the beam, and at a common rate but in opposite directions, and means associated with the vibratory sieve for modifying the movements thereof to enhance the sifting function.

9. Offset elimination apparatus comprising in combination, an elevated substantially horizontal normally stationary beam to span a printing machine, a vibratory hopper suspended from the beam, and comprising a series of compartments each having a perforated bottom and upright walls for confining a quantity of powdered material, a series of upright valve needles equal in number to the number of perforations in the hopper bottom, said needles each having an upper end and a tapered lower end, the lower ends of the needles being loosely received in the hopper perforations, and means attached to the beam for pivotally suspending the needles from their upper ends so that the lower ends thereof move in correspondency with the hopper vibrations.

10. An applicator for dry powdered coating material which comprises in combination a vibratory sieve and a superposed vibratory hopper, means for vibrating the sieve and the hopper, said hopper having a plurality of perforations in the bottom thereof, a plurality of valve needles in the perforations of the hopper bottom, a needle for each perforation to regulate the flow of coating material therethrough onto the sieve beneath, and a stationary overhead support for the needles, each of said needles being pivotally mounted on said support for rocking movement relative thereto.

GEORGE F. ROONEY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 457,923 Morse Aug. 18, 1891 1,310,543 Racy July 22, 1919 1,872,628 Esch Aug. 16, 1932 2,173,032 Wintermute Sept. 12, 1939 2,223,476 Amstutz Dec. 3, 1940 

